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So, Bracket arrived from eBay, nothing but the best Chineseum stainless steel. Jacked car up as high as possible and placed an axle stand under the rear jacking point. 6x T45 bolts removed from x brace pictured, and a T60 on the O/S to allow the brace room to drop when lowering exhaust. Rear exhaust supported with trolley jack, mounts undone with a 13mm nut either side of rear silencer and lowered. 4x metal heat shield nuts removed, 4x plastic heat shield nuts removed from felt section of under shielding. Jiggle metal heat shield about a bit and slide towards the rear to remove. Broken lugs from handbrake bracket fell out when heat shield was undone. Fairly conclusive diagnosis! Handbrake cable can be pulled down enough to allow ring end of spanner to undo retaining nut. New bracket straddles old bracket and secures cables very well. Refit everything that was removed, not forgetting that metal heat shield goes underneath felt section. Apologies for pics not being in order, some didn’t want to upload at all. EBay item was in fact £6.79!!

Cooling fan is noisy when the aircon is switched on. Play in the bearing. Has anybody done this recently and how difficult is it to remove ? I have only had the car a month. Look forward to responses.

Hi Dave Thank you very much for the reply, that's really handy information. I aim to keep it for as many 100k's as I can just to see how far it will go as my commuter. I shall get it booked in for the above so really appreciate the details. Darren

Hi Andy did you find out what caused the problem, only asking as my 21 plate x5 has the exact same issue. Just trying to narrow it down to what it could be

Couple of the Volvos and Mercedes had the same system in the E55's and the CLS 63 I used to keep a pay as you go sim in them and set my phone on divert to that number if not answered, when I got in the car I turned off my phone worked really well I guess the next question is can you still get a Sim that will fit ??🤣 For the X5 so far I have a full set of PDC sensors , a coule of Ride Height sensors, a Final Stage Resistor and a couple of ULF (Bluetooth units) 17" spare wheel etc still got a load of stuff to sort through though Dave

Hi Dan - already did and looking pretty good actually 🙂

Update on this. It was a terminal in the plug. Terminal was not making a good connection with one of the pins on the o2 sensor plug. Extremely annoying but fixed

Hello I have a problem with me E38 1998 which has failed the mot which is due to the ABS light not illuminating. I’ve just sent the cluster off to see if any problems with that and nothing. Any ideas would be much appreciated. Thanks Dan

Morning Jay Technically there isnt a down pipe there should be a diesel particulate filter (DPF) if there is a single downpipe then it will be aftermarket. DPF's are normally really tough the bit that blows is the flexible pipe at the bottom BMW call it a Decoupling element and still sell them as will a number of aftermaket exhaust suppliers like Bosal Try looking at www.realoem.com put the last 7 digits of your Vin into the search box then check the exhaust section. Once you have the part numbers just use the Internet to find the best deal or as Stu says Quarry have always been helpful Dave

How have you got on with diagnosing the fault? Had to do a running repair on my Z3 in the week as the original intake trunking had perished and was drawing unregulated air through the hole and the car ran incredibly rough - replaced the part with the new one that I had in the boot for years and runs great now Another thing worth trying when its running on song is using super-unleaded - has made the world of difference the flat spot at around 2000rpm which has disappeared since using the higher octane (and lower ethanol) fuel

Hi, thanks for your input, but I've finally found a lens in Australia. It's exactly the right one, so good result. Phil

Thank you Dave.

1999 E46 328ci in Alpine white Current owner since 2006 with 1 previous owner 147k mikes Automatic Service history to 100k 4 keys All booklets A4 folder with al receipts from new Full size alloy in boot CD auto changer Bad bits - needs 2 wings and a bonnet due to corrosion. Corrosion spots around the car as can be seen in the pictures. Glass on passenger mirror fell of but not broken. Air con not holding gas Bleed nipple snapped passenger side rear caliper but not leaking. Original suspension could do with being replaced. Misfiring due to being of the road 4 years! Might be bad fuel or MAF sensor as was fine before. Airbag light on but BMW did a recall so not been in to replace. Owned this car almost 20years and took it of the road 4 years ago as it was needing work every year and I needed a newer family car. I had intensions to restore but have not had the time or money over the years. Not sure if the car is worth much these days but don't want it going to scrap so open to offers. Location NE England Any questions ask away

Morning Chris Welcome to the Forum Spoilers are and always will be a matter of personal taste, if you were buying from a BMW Dealer they would want to fit a M sport item but if thats what you prefer it looks fine to me not OTT and Boy Racer ENJOY YOUR BEEMER Dave

Hi Dave, I’ve been told about how BMW will just sell a complete turbo unit which I can imagine will be very expensive. I will have a look on that website and thank you for your help, it’s really appreciated, cheers.

Morning Stu Sorry it took a little while Friday afternoon had to nip down to Wincanton Saturday Judging a Gundog Working Test and yesterday Dog Training day (you jinxed it with your Slow day) So very confusing while the Wiring Diagram shows the rear lower tailgate lock and actuator button it doesn't give wire colours (pictures attached) I checked the Bus system that didnt help either according to the wiring diagrams all pre-facelift models (up to 2004) should be the same All I can think is either there is a short somewhere (through robber cable gromit at the top) So not sure if it helps or not Looked at the PDC and it points toward the PDC controller (in the boot down by the battery) Dave

Morning James First tools Halfords will probably have everything you need the same applies to most Motor Factors. Remember to check prices don't assume that your getting the best price I use EuroCar Parts for most spares if they don't have it in stock generally they can get it in 24hrs A decent Socket set and decent set of Combination spanners (open one end ring at the other) plus Flat and cross head screw drivers would be enough to get you going, get a box of rubber gloves as well saves a load of scrubbing later😁 If you need sockets bigger than those in your set you can buy them singley, same applies to Combination spanners Sump plug a 17mm socket is fine, slacken it off then unscrew with your fingers (remember to buy a magnet on and extending handle so you can fish it out of the old oil in the catch tank) Your engine will hold around 6 or 7 litres 2 4.5/5ltr cans are fine and oil stores well, my thought is transporting the used oil to your local recycling centre for disposal you will have more than will fit into a 5ltr can so you may well need to find a couple of plastic bottles to help out Dave

Hi Dave Thanks for that. I am going to spend a bit more time on it just to get to the bottom of it all. I hve been quoted 420 Euros to remove and ultrasonically clean the dpf, but I am going to hold fire

Thanks @X5smw, I’ll check them out 👍

Morning Tony Welcome to the Forum Fuel Pump Relay is one of the first suspects, then Crank Sensor and Cam Sensors Did the injectors go back in the correct order? I take it you have a Diagnostic scanner? if the injectors were mixed up you will need the numbers from the top of each injector and they will need registering to each position. Hope this helps not hinders Dave

Set of 4 used but nearly new condition wheel centres. Part number as in photos. £40 for the set.

Hi. I am picking my 2021 x3 up next week and was wondering if the driver recorder is any good or you you still get a dash cam fitted? Cheers

Hi Dave. Check to see if you can see the silver cable behind the lever in the footwell. If it’s still there, get some mole grips/ pliers on it and pull! if it’s not there, then it’s snapped and you’re destined to removing the kidney grills on the bonnet and manually opening the bonnet by cutting the plastics to locate the latches and remains of the cable… just done an x5 one and it was a right pain!

thanks Dave , good to know this

Found a couple of online Vid's to download VMware to Win 11 so I think you will be OK Dave